Raw Highlights – Randy Orton RKO’s Beth Phoenix (3/2/20)

On a night where Ricochet lost to Riddick Moss and Aleister Black felt his first defeat, albeit coming after two matches and a beat down following the second match, this is the go-home episode for Elimination Chamber. My question is… is this the first time there has been back to back go-home shows in Monday Night Raw history? Possibly. Something tells me Randy Orton was to pull another devious act. Here are the highlights.

#AndNEW: The Street Profits win “Now or Never”, Become Raw Tag Team Championships

In their third attempt, it was announced that The Street Profits had to win the Raw Tag Team Championships on Raw or they’d never get a shot again. Of course, they had to take on Seth Rollins and Murphy for the gold. The Authors of Pain tried to get involved but the referee noticed them and ejected them from ringside. When he was yelling at them, Kevin Owens slipped in and gave Rollins a stunner. Montez Ford had his chance, getting to the top rope and hitting a picture-perfect frog splash to pin Rollins and officially become the new Raw Tag Team Champions.

Shayna Baszler defeats Kairi Sane in first Raw match

We were almost spoiled with the first Asuka vs. Shayna Baszler match but a wrist injury gave us the rematch from the NXT Women’s Championship match at Evolution. Shayna Baszler just happened to also be having her first Raw match. Kairi Sane went for the InSane elbow but was met with knees, allowing Baszler to lock in the kirifuda clutch and make Sane tap in the middle of the ring. With Asuka unable to do anything, she locked it back in and made Sane pass out in the middle of the ring. All signs point to her dominating on Sunday.

Randy Orton RKO’s Beth Phoenix in the middle of the ring

Something we all feared… just became a reality. #RKO#Raw #BethPhoenix @RandyOrton pic.twitter.com/XLn8qGW2Y0

— WWE (@WWE) March 3, 2020

Beth Phoenix returned to Monday Night Raw to tell the world how her husband Edge was doing. Before she could even speak much, Randy Orton made his way out to the ring. He said he knows that she deserves an explanation from him. Orton revealed that the reason he put Edge down was so that no one could make a name for themselves by doing the same. So that he could go home to his wife and kids and actually be there. But that was not it out of Orton, who told Beth Phoenix that she was the reason he is the way he is right now, calling her an enabler. She was the reason he is in the situation he is now.

Phoenix slapped the taste out of Orton’s mouth and kicked him in the gut after she called him a “b***h.” Orton responded with an RKO and walked out. Pure heat as the venomous Orton returns to form for the first time in a long time. Jerry Lawler, Tom Phillips, and Byron Saxton were in utter shock as a number of people ran down to the ring including Natalya and the former Edgeheads, Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder. A surreal moment as Raw went off the air.

Raw MVP: Drew McIntyre

Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman were out for their usual parade about beating Ricochet, but this had a tendency to be different. Different because Heyman was trying to talk down Lesnar’s WrestleMania opponent, Drew McIntyre. He was determined to make it seem like McIntyre was no serious threat. But then hit the music of McIntyre and Heyman’s face instantly turned to fear. McIntyre, showing no fear in any way, walked into the face of Brock. Lesnar was laughing and tried to shake it off as he walked away. “The Beast Incarnate” turned around and ran for an attack but was met with a brutal Claymore to the face. McIntyre walked out and Lesnar was shaken. As Lesnar got to the top of the ramp, McIntyre came out and smashed him with two more Claymore’s before holding the WWE Championship high. This man is ready.